Book Review - Infrastructure

Have you ever wondered how power lines work, why highway exits form a cloverleaf, or how clean water gets to your home for drinking?

Infrastructure: The Book of Everything for the Industrial Landscape
Brian Hayes
TS 190.5 .H394 2005

Using clear, understandable explanations, Brian Hayes reveals the whys and hows behind the structures that we see in cities, rural areas, and industrial complexes. Chapters are dedicated to industrial sectors such as "Oil and Gas," "On the Road," and "Bridges and Tunnels." Subtopics within the chapters address the different functions within that industrial areas. For example, in the "Waterworks" chapter, discussions include dams, flood control, water treatment, water storage in tanks, and rain water drainage. Examples are illustrated with pictures and Hayes explains how the shape and design is influenced by how the structure works. This is fascinating reading for those who are curious about infrastructures around them and makes modern engineering accessible to those without technical backgrounds.